Ayres S-2R N88MQ

Summary

On 19 May 2002 at about 16:35 local time, a Ayres S-2R registered N88MQ was involved in an accident near Swanton, Maryland, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 May 2002 at 16:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Swanton, Maryland, United States

Nearest airport

None

Coordinates

39.4364, -79.1158

Aircraft

Ayres S-2R

Registration

N88MQ

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cumberland → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD02FA052

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain visual separation from a set of known, yet unmarked power lines.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was aware that there were power lines located in an area where he was spraying for gypsy moths. A park ranger saw the airplane make several passes up and down a river. As the airplane began it's third pass, it was headed toward the power lines and a ridge line. The airplane was in a descent, the wings were level, the airplane was spraying, and the engine sounded strong. The ranger lost sight of the airplane behind the ridge line, but 3-5 seconds later he saw smoke. Examination of the unmarked power lines revealed contact marks at the point where the wires crossed over the river. A 3-foot section of the left wing was found in the river downstream of the power lines. Examination of the wing section revealed spiraled striations at the leading edge of the wing and left aileron.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.